How to Supplement on the Keto Diet – A Beginner’s Guide

By now, you’ve heard plenty about the benefits of a ketogenic (keto) diet. Maybe you’re already eating this way, or maybe you want to get on board and try it for yourself. With the massive range of keto supplements on our shelves now, our number one customer question is: which supplements will help me during a keto diet?

With that in mind, we’ve put together a beginner’s guide to supplementing on the keto diet. Of course, this isn’t an end-all be-all – it’s rather a stepping stone to a greater level of knowledge that you can use to customise your eating, training and supplementation.

Of course, don’t forget to check out some of our previous keto articles:

Keto Supplements Step One – Exogenous Ketones

The first step when it comes to supplementing on a keto diet is exogenous ketones. These are the BHB salts that your body produces when you are in a ketogenic state, and these are used as a primary fuel source when your body is low in carbohydrates. Ideally, we want our bodies to produce ketones efficiently on their own (more on that later!), but for now, especially when getting started with, it’s helpful to take an exogenous ketone supplement to get you into ketosis within minutes.

There are a huge number of brands and products on the market. Three of the most popular exogenous ketone supplements out there are:

You can take your exogenous ketones a number of ways – you can have it first thing in the morning for an energy boost; you can add it to a large bottle of water and sip all day; or you can use it after a carb-loaded meal to push your body back into ketosis.

Keto Supplements Step Two – MCT’s

Next up, we’re talking about MCT oil – it comes in powdered, capsule or liquid forms. MCT’s are the fats found in coconut and palm oil, and they’re a great boost to your keto diet in that they are quickly-utilised forms of energy, have zero carb, and have the added benefit of boosting your body’s ketone production. These will help you produce ketones on your own, reducing your need to supplement with exogenous ketones once you’re further into the keto diet.

Keto Supplements Step Three – Meal Replacements

Eating a keto diet can be difficult for busy people, especially when you compare it to the average person who can grab a sandwich, sushi roll or burger on-the-go. While it’s going to be a little more difficult to stick to a keto diet if you’re time-poor, there are plenty of options out there for you (a subject of a future article!). For those who need an on-the-go meal that ticks the macros – ketogenic meal replacements are a great option. You can use these in place of a meal, or even as a between-meal snack, but adjust the serving size accordingly.

Keto meal replacements are often high in fats and proteins, with lower carb levels than regular meal replacement shakes. While they can be costly at around $10/serve, the macronutrient breakdown is ideal for anyone following the keto diet strictly, and as an added bonus they taste great.

Keto Supplements Step Four – Boosters

By this point, following the steps above, you’re well into your keto supplementation, and you have a good idea how your body is responding to each of the supplements. These supplements, for the majority of the population, along with a high-quality keto diet, will yield fantastic results. But for those who want to get that last 5%, below are some great options you can incorporate into your keto supplement plan.

Collagen

A key component of gut, skin and hair health, collagen protein is sourced from a variety of animals (mainly cows), and is one of the reasons why your grandparents gave you chicken soup when you were sick as a child. Collagen is an excellent ingredient to help repair gut and immune function, and goes hand-in-hand with a keto diet. There are some great options currently available:

Vitamins, Minerals + Superfoods

Another key goal of the keto diet is to boost overall health and wellbeing, and there are several products which help to do just this. These products assist by filling micronutrient gaps in the diet, or ‘covering the bases’, so to speak.